“The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.” Kenneth H. Blanchard
I was recently in London at an Airbnb and my host and I, getting acquainted, stumbled upon the topic of leadership. Imagine that – the genesis of most of my blogs. I was sharing my experience leading a small business which sells and installs window coverings or blinds. I told him a story of when a business consultant, admiring my wall full of military awards and plaques, stated, “… so you once commanded nearly five thousand soldiers and now you lead only five employees?” “Yes,” I stated, “and I have no idea what I am doing!” We both laughed at my paradoxical answer. When I left the military as a colonel, I was a seasoned senior leader, able to lead large organizations. Indeed, I had once led at the smallest level for an Army officer, – a platoon, so I did have experience, but my return to leading a small team came with personal leadership rust. It had been a long time, and my ‘no idea’ punch line spoke truth to the challenges I felt.
What struck me in my conversation with my Airbnb host, an actor and theater performer, was his point about performing in front of large versus small audiences. Hearing my ‘no idea’ story, he commiserated sharing that he would prefer a large audience in a large venue versus a small one. He felt greater pressure to perform in a small venue where he could make eye contact with the audience – where proximity differed greatly. “Yes,” I thought. There was truth to that. Leading a small group as I do today, I find myself up close and personal with them. They can see my flaws, and I can sense their reaction to my leadership on a greater level. Get leadership wrong with a small team and the feedback is instant. With a large theater audience or military formation, there is distance and that distance can be comforting – somewhat comforting. Large audiences and formations deliver their own pressures and challenges. Let’s explore the differences and similarities…
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